Reading Passage Question
Until recently, the generation and tabulation of toxicological and environmental data in the United States has been carried out in an unsystematic fashion by several federal and state government agencies, industry, and the medical profession. Generally, chemicals were considered to be harmless unless proven otherwise. It was not until the 1960s that Americans began to believe that systematic investigation and regulation of the toxicological and environmental impact of chemicals was necessary. By this time, however, DuPont had been doing research on the toxic effects of chemicals for thirty years at its Haskell Laboratory for Toxicology.

DuPont encountered its first toxicological problems when it began to manufacture dynamite in the 1880s. Nitric acid fumes destroyed lung tissue and caused numerous fatalities.

Benzene caused immediate problems for DuPont. Because it was a cheap and effective solvent for rubber, DuPont used benzene to make coated fabrics. In the spring of 1920, two workers in the plant died from benzene poisoning, prompting an investigation by the company's safety division. Dr. A. K. Smith discovered that all the workers had cotton plugs in their noses to stop chronic nosebleeds caused by benzene fumes. At this time, the proportion of benzene in the solvent was cut from 60% to 45% percent and the ventilation improved. Two years later, however, another worker died, and DuPont abandoned the use of benzene.

Not long after the benzene crisis, DuPont experienced the tetraethyl lead (TEL) poisonings. The episode received nationwide attention because of the wild behavior of the victims. Although not required to by any regulatory or legislative body, DuPont designed and installed a completely closed process to protect the lives of its employees.

In the 1920s, DuPont's need for toxicological data increased, in part to ensure that the company's products posed no risks for consumers. Before introducing moisture-proof cellophane for food packaging, in 1927, DuPont commissioned Henry Field Smith to carry out guinea pig feeding studies in his private laboratory. Smith concluded that the cellophane coating was 'absolutely harmless.' However, a few years later, one of the principal ingredients, tricresyl phosphate (TCP), was implicated in a major public health disaster. An alcoholic drink called 'ginger jake,' which had been laced with TCP, caused thousands of cases of paralysis and numerous deaths in 1930. After learning that moisture-proof cellophane contained TCP, the National Institute of Health undertook experiments with chickens and discovered that the birds developed paralysis at a dosage of 10 milligrams of TCP per day. DuPont replaced TCP in the coating after learning of these results.

Solution and Explanation

1. Based on the passage, how accurate were guinea pigs for determining danger of chemicals?

1. Used by government officials to determine cancer risk
2. Guinea pigs bear no resemblance to the human body and therefore have no value.
3. If guinea pigs determined safety, it was the final word and no further studies were needed.
4. Guinea pigs failed to detect the TCP risk.
5. Guinea pig use for testing is unethical and shouldn’t be

2. In the examples in the passage, DuPont acted to protect workers and consumers

1. under public pressure
2. when confronted by the lawsuits of victims
3. when required by regulatory agency or legislative body
4. at the discretion of its executives
5. in response to practical experience and research evidence

3. Against a background of unsystematic gathering of data on toxicity of chemicals by federal and state agencies, industry, and the medical profession, DuPont..

1. took the initiative and started testing.
2. adhered to slowly evolving government regulation.
3. followed the dictum that chemicals were harmless unless proven otherwise.
4. dealt slowly and reluctantly with the threat of toxicity to employees.
5. moved only in order to ensure favorable consumer relations.

“Until recently, the generation and tabulation of toxicological and”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 3 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions

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